Happily Never After
by MegTao
Summary: R&R 'One time when I was going through the mountains with Kagura we were surrounded by dozens of wild boars. I thought we'd be eaten' This incident from Kyo's POV. Slight KyoXKagura. Rated T for language.


**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N One-shots are addictive... I came up with this idea while watching the anime... Enjoy! **

**Happily Never After**

Kyo let out a deep sigh of relief from the roof of one of the Sohma's many summer homes. He had finally managed to escape from Kagura and get some piece and quiet. Shi-Shou had invited all of his students up with him on their annual vacation so they could "clear their minds". Unfortunately for Kyo, Kagura Sohma was one of Shi-Shou's students and she was not allowing Kyo much time for mind clearing.

It wasn't that he **hated** Kagura, he didn't even dislike her. She was just so damn overwhelming. Since they were little she had always claimed to love him. She had threatened, yelled, and beat him into submission on a regular basis. And if all else failed...she cried. Kyo absolutely could not stand tears!

But the main reason he avoided her as if she contained a contagious disease was, to put it simply, he didn't deserve her. He was the cat, cursed not only to transform into a cat form when hugged by a female or when under a great deal of stress but to change into a hideous monster if his beads were ever removed. He could never burden her with his love, it would hurt her even more than his constant shunning. As long as he kept his distance she would remain safe.

The sun began to descend and Kyo was not able to put off returning inside any longer. He climbed down a ladder and entered the large summer home letting the voices of the students wash over him. They were all so happy, like a family, a family Kyo could never join no matter how much he wanted to. At the large dining table Kyo sat at the opposite end of the table from Yuki Sohma, and he wished the distance could've been even greater.

Yuki Sohma was a distant cousin who trained under Shi-Shou. He was also a member of the zodiac, the rat to be more specific and this, along with his calm attitude that rubbed Kyo the wrong way, made him Kyo's most loathed enemy. Yuki was one of the reasons Kyo trained so hard at martial arts, but no matter how much Kyo improved Yuki was always better. The rat was always better than the cat. But one day Kyo would win, he had to.

Kyo unconsciously glanced to the seat at his left and was surprised to find it empty. Kagura always snatched up the seat on his left immediately after he sat down and beware to anyone who got in her way. Where was she? Not that he was worried or anything, but still...

"Kiyoshi," Kyo whispered to an older student who was sitting to his right attempting to sound indifferent, "Where's Kagura?"

Kiyoshi swallowed a large mouthful of rice before replying in a deep voice, "She went for a walk in the mountains, but she should be back by now," his brown eyes took on a worried look, "maybe we should send out a search party."

"No need," Kyo said immediately standing up, "I'll go get her. How far could she possibly have gone?"

Three hours later Kyo was mentally smacking himself in the head. _How far could she possibly have gone? Pretty damn far!_ He had not seen hide or hair of Kagura since he had began his search, he had stopped calling her name after the second hour. Not because he was giving up but because his voice had been reduced to a raspy growl. _Damn her! Where the hell is she? _He tried to contain his panic but his heart felt lik it was being squeezed in a vice and with every step he took without finding her the vice got tighter and tighter and tighter...

He reached the base of a rocky mountain; he had to crane his neck to seet the peak_. No way in hell am I climbing that!_ In the failing light it would be suicide, he would be lucky to make it five steps without breaking his neck. Besides, he wasn't even positive that Kagura had gone that way. She might even be back at the summer house by now. Kyo was busy convincing himself to turn away when something caught his eye.

It was Kagura's backpack. She never went anywhere without that bag she loved that thing almost as much as she loved him... God only knows why. That thing was butt-ugly. He snatched up the bag holding it carefully as if it was Kagura herself. He forced his aching feet into motion being careful not to lose his balance on the unsteady stones of the mountain. _Just keep moving. Another step. One more. It'll be all worth it if you find her..._

By the time Kyo found Kagura the sun was completely hidden but luckily a full silver moon gave off plenty of light. He found her lying on a path leaning against an evergreen. She was clutching her ankle and her eyes were full of pain.

"Kyo," she whispered, "I knew you'd find me."

Kyo ignored the tug at his heart but stumbled up to her as fast as his feet could take him. He smoothly lifted her as gently as possible dropping her backpack in the process. Her body was freezing and he held her closer to warm her up, or at least that was the main reason; the fact that she felt perfect against his body was just a bonus. When she snuggled up against his chest he felt guilty and a voice inside him roared "You'll only hurt her!" but for the moment he ignrored it.

Kagura was obviously in a lot of pain and very tired because she remained quiet during the entire trek down the mountain. Walking down the mountain was, if it was possible, even harder than walking up especially adding in Kagura. Even with his training and her light weight his arms were beginning to tire.

He did not know if he could make it all the way back to the summer house before he collapsed from exhaustion, but he had to try. Somehow he managed to remain upright during his trek down the mountain and was extremely relieved when he returned to even ground. Kyo adjusted Kagura in his arms and she stifled a moan at the movement of her ankle which appeared to be sprained.

Kyo was forced to admit that he would not be able to carry her back to the house. They would just have to stay outside for the remainder of the night, but first he needed to find proper shelter.

"Kagura," he said in a voice gruff from fatigue, "We're going to have to stay out here tonight."

Kagura gave a weak smile. "Okay, I trust you."

Her words managed to warm and freeze at the same moment.

Kyo remembered a nearby cave from his exploration of this forest when he had been younger and wearily made his way in the direction. The cave was smaller than he remembered, but at least it was dry so he gently set a sleeping Kagura down and lay next to her; he wouldn't want her to get cold...

Sleep arrived quickly for Kyo, and morning arrived far too soon. Kyo was still dead tired when the sunlight forced him awake. Groaning and stretching he checked Kagura's ankle; she winced as he gently probed the swollen purple tinged area. Sighing he picked her up and continued on his way.

Kagura began speaking incoherently. Kyo managed to catch a few words but those he did did not make any sense.

"Why, mumble mumble, hate, mumble mumble, love, mumble mumble..."

Kyo stopped listening afraid he would hear something he did not want to. He placed his cheek to her forehead and pulled away as if burned. In fact he had been burned, Kagura had a fever._ Damn!_ Kyo thought and changed his course to that of a nearby creek.

When he arrived a the creek he gently place Kagura by the edge of the water. Straightening, he winced as he ripped the bottom of his shirt to use as a rag. It was one of his favourite shirts too! He soaked the fabric in the cool water and placed it on her head hoping to bring down her temperature, that's what the doctor's always did to bring down temperatures, right?

He gently lifted Kagura's head and using his hand as a cup managed to get a few dribbles of water down her throat. After he was sure she wouldn't drink anymore he quenched his own thirst. He was leaning over the water when he hear a snuffling noise he twirled around and was surprised to find he was completely surrounded by wild boars, and they did not look friendly especially with those large very pointy tusks.

He jumped up and got into his most frightening martial art position, instead of attacking as Kyo had expected one of the boars, the biggest one who Kyo suspected was the chief slowly trotted up to Kagura and began gently prodding her with its nose almost as if checking to see if she was alright. Kagura moaned softly but otherwise seemed unharmed by the boar's attention.

It then sniffed Kyo up and down. Kyo remained stiff afraid to move. The boar seemed to nod its head in acceptance and the entire pack left as silently as they had arrived from the way they came. _Okay, that was weird, _Kyo thought letting out a deep breath he didn't even know he had been holding. For a minute there he had thought the boar was going to skewer him. Wouldn't that have been ironic, killed by boars while trying to save the boar...

Shaking the thoughts out of his head Kyo picked up Kagura and continued on his quest. The remainder of the trek was virtually uneventful safe for a run-in with some poison ivy. He managed to get back just in time for lunch.

"Welcome back Kyo," Shi-Shou greeted the exhausted boy . He raised an eyebrow at their bedraggled state but decided not to ask any questions. "I was beginning to get worried, bring Kagura inside and I'll treat her ankle."

After Kyo was sure that Kagura was in the capable hands of Shi-Shou he made his way to the bathroom, but not before snatching a bottle of Cortaid, the poison ivy was taking effect and his skin felt like it was on fire. After his bath he headed to his shared bedroom which, since it was mid-afternoon, was blissfully empty and silent. He fell into a dreamless sleep before his head even touched the pillow.

Kyo spent the next few days at Kagura's bedside. Only when Shi-Shou or Hatsuharu Sohma, another zodiac member, promised to keep an eye on her would Kyo take a short break to eat or sleep. On the third day Kagura's eyes fluttered open and fell on Kyo.

She smiled up at him opened her mouth and said,

"Where's my backpack?"

**A/N Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review. If you have any quotes you enjoyed in this fic please share them with me in your review I would like to post them on my profile.**

**MegTao **


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